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Turning environmental values into priorities for Texas
We still don't know all about Ike
Tom Curtis, a friend of mine from Galveston who evacuated during Ike, writes a "Letter from Galveston" in the latest Texas Observer issue. Tom points out that Texans and Americans haven't seen the full destruction and tragedy from hurrican Ike because, "[C]ity leaders don't even seem to want their own citizens, much less outsiders, to see their island in this sad state of dishabille or, worse, battered and stark nakedness."
And Tom suggests that the reason officials don't want the world to see what Galveston really looks like post-Ike is because they're afraid it will impact the election. The local newspaper publisher is quoted as saying the efforts to keep eyes shut to Galveston is, "a desparate effort to avoid embarassment for the Republican administration in charge of FEMA." He goes on: "It is, after all, about six weeks from a presidential election. Nobody wants another Katrina this time." Indeed.
There are local elections going on, too, including an interesting one for state senate that pits incumbent Senator Mike Jackson against challenger Joe Jaworski (the League has endorsed Jaworski). Perhaps the candidates could debate and lay out their visions for hurricane recovery, even discuss how to minimize the damage from future storms? Not gonna happen. Jackson failed to show up for a debate yesterday. Apparently, the strategy - from FEMA on down to Mike Jackson - is to keep the cameras off, don't talk about it, close their eyes and keep their fingers crossed until Election Day.
I'm reminded of folks who chose to ignore the threat of Ike and stayed on the island. They, too, crossed fingers, closed their eyes and hoped for a minimal damage. No doubt some of them now regret their choice.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008And Tom suggests that the reason officials don't want the world to see what Galveston really looks like post-Ike is because they're afraid it will impact the election. The local newspaper publisher is quoted as saying the efforts to keep eyes shut to Galveston is, "a desparate effort to avoid embarassment for the Republican administration in charge of FEMA." He goes on: "It is, after all, about six weeks from a presidential election. Nobody wants another Katrina this time." Indeed.
There are local elections going on, too, including an interesting one for state senate that pits incumbent Senator Mike Jackson against challenger Joe Jaworski (the League has endorsed Jaworski). Perhaps the candidates could debate and lay out their visions for hurricane recovery, even discuss how to minimize the damage from future storms? Not gonna happen. Jackson failed to show up for a debate yesterday. Apparently, the strategy - from FEMA on down to Mike Jackson - is to keep the cameras off, don't talk about it, close their eyes and keep their fingers crossed until Election Day.
I'm reminded of folks who chose to ignore the threat of Ike and stayed on the island. They, too, crossed fingers, closed their eyes and hoped for a minimal damage. No doubt some of them now regret their choice.
Labels: galveston, hurricane ike, joe jaworski, mike jackson
Will Ike Keep Incumbents in Office?
It's hard to register folks to vote in November when they've been impacted by Hurricane Ike, according to a recent AP story that ran in papers statewide. But Galveston County officials are taking steps to have polling locations in place by Election Day.
This is a critically important election, one of the most important elections in memory by any account. It would be a great tragedy if victims of Hurricane Ike weren't heard from at the polls on Election Day, and it would be a tragic loss for democracy in Texas.
The tasks confronting folks returning home to Galveston and other hurricane-damaged areas are almost insurmountable. Let's hope officials are able to accept late voter registration from the Gulf Coast and are able to provide proper, functioning polling places as close to their regular locations as possible.
Texas harmed by Ike may understandably be discouraged, disgusted and discombobulated. Let's hope they're also not disenfranchised.
Make sure you're registered to vote. The deadline is Monday.
Thursday, September 25, 2008This is a critically important election, one of the most important elections in memory by any account. It would be a great tragedy if victims of Hurricane Ike weren't heard from at the polls on Election Day, and it would be a tragic loss for democracy in Texas.
The tasks confronting folks returning home to Galveston and other hurricane-damaged areas are almost insurmountable. Let's hope officials are able to accept late voter registration from the Gulf Coast and are able to provide proper, functioning polling places as close to their regular locations as possible.
Texas harmed by Ike may understandably be discouraged, disgusted and discombobulated. Let's hope they're also not disenfranchised.
Make sure you're registered to vote. The deadline is Monday.
Labels: hurricane ike, voter registration
Texas belches CO2 as other states reduce emissions
What do the following states have in common?
Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
They have all teamed up through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to implement a cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, the RGGI auctions off its first CO2 emissions allowances today under the "first mandatory, market-based CO2 emissions reduction program in the United States." Likewise, on the West Coast states like California already have their own greenhouse gas reduction programs underway.
States are taking these steps and implementing these programs because of inaction in Washington. Today's New York Times opines that, "[u]ntil Washington takes more responsibility for addressing global warming, the states must lead."
Where's Texas on this stuff? Why isn't the second-most populous state in the nation a leader in this area? We're not even on the map. Last legislative session, the Texas House voted against even creating a task force to examine the impact of climate change - which is impacted by CO2 emissions. Fifty-two house members voted for the creation of the task force. Eighty-eight voted against it.
Texas alone is the 8th largest emitter of CO2 in the world. Our state contributes almost as much CO2 into the atmosphere as Canada. Actions of states like Vermont, with its small population and limited amount of industry, won't have a big impact on CO2 emissions. But if Texas did something, there could be tremendous impact. Perhaps the solution is a cap-and-trade system for Texas. Perhaps Texas can bring creativity and independent thinking to bear on finding solutions other than a cap-and-trade system. Our state has been an energy leader for more than a hundred years -- we've got the talent and capacity to tackle problems like CO2 emissions and to make a tremendous difference.
Bigger, nastier hurricanes like Ike are one result of climate change caused by CO2 emissions, according to a recent study by Nature. Texas officials -- and leaders in Washington, D.C. -- can't continue to ignore our mounting climate change crisis, nor the disastrous changes to the weather and the environment that are resulting.
On Election Day, and when the Texas Legislature convenes in Austin in January, Texans need to send a message that we're not going keep our heads in the sands as hurricanes are made worse by toxic emissions from Texas cars and industry. Texas League of Conservation Voters has endorsed a slate of candidates and incumbents who will stand up for clean air.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
They have all teamed up through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to implement a cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, the RGGI auctions off its first CO2 emissions allowances today under the "first mandatory, market-based CO2 emissions reduction program in the United States." Likewise, on the West Coast states like California already have their own greenhouse gas reduction programs underway.
States are taking these steps and implementing these programs because of inaction in Washington. Today's New York Times opines that, "[u]ntil Washington takes more responsibility for addressing global warming, the states must lead."
Where's Texas on this stuff? Why isn't the second-most populous state in the nation a leader in this area? We're not even on the map. Last legislative session, the Texas House voted against even creating a task force to examine the impact of climate change - which is impacted by CO2 emissions. Fifty-two house members voted for the creation of the task force. Eighty-eight voted against it.
Texas alone is the 8th largest emitter of CO2 in the world. Our state contributes almost as much CO2 into the atmosphere as Canada. Actions of states like Vermont, with its small population and limited amount of industry, won't have a big impact on CO2 emissions. But if Texas did something, there could be tremendous impact. Perhaps the solution is a cap-and-trade system for Texas. Perhaps Texas can bring creativity and independent thinking to bear on finding solutions other than a cap-and-trade system. Our state has been an energy leader for more than a hundred years -- we've got the talent and capacity to tackle problems like CO2 emissions and to make a tremendous difference.
Bigger, nastier hurricanes like Ike are one result of climate change caused by CO2 emissions, according to a recent study by Nature. Texas officials -- and leaders in Washington, D.C. -- can't continue to ignore our mounting climate change crisis, nor the disastrous changes to the weather and the environment that are resulting.
On Election Day, and when the Texas Legislature convenes in Austin in January, Texans need to send a message that we're not going keep our heads in the sands as hurricanes are made worse by toxic emissions from Texas cars and industry. Texas League of Conservation Voters has endorsed a slate of candidates and incumbents who will stand up for clean air.
Labels: cap-and-trade, climate change, hurricane ike, Texas House
Residents Return to Galveston
"When you come back it's not going to be the same Galveston Island you left. It's been damaged. It's been broken."
Sunday, September 21, 2008- Galveston Mayor Pro-Tem Danny Weber
Indeed.
Labels: galveston, hurricane ike
Politics and governance have a role post-Ike
Dallas Morning News editorial today:
In addition to Galveston, Houston and Texas' Gulf Coast, one place the impact of Ike may be felt for generations is the Texas Legislature, and the shape of the legislature will be determined on Election Day.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008The last thing Galvestonians are thinking about today is what Ike's destruction means for the rest of Texas. When your primary concerns are whether you still have a house and when you'll ever get to sleep in it, you're in no frame of mind to take the big-picture view.
But the folks managing the state's budget, insurers with a stake in this hurricane, and taxpayers and consumers face several grim realities.
In addition to Galveston, Houston and Texas' Gulf Coast, one place the impact of Ike may be felt for generations is the Texas Legislature, and the shape of the legislature will be determined on Election Day.
Labels: election day, hurricane ike, Texas House, Texas Senate
Ike Aftermath: Toxic Chemicals in Galveston
- Ian Urbina and Thayer Evans, The New York Times
Today, word from the New York Times that Hurricane Ike's path of destruction left a toxic layer across Galveston Island. And as time goes by, blooms of toxic mold, swarms of insects and other pest are increasing in intensity. The Times quotes Galveston resident John Strange on the bugs:
“They could fly away with your hat,” he said. “The roaches are bigger than I’ve ever seen in New York City. They’d whip a New York roach. The mosquitoes are as big as your thumbnail. You name them, you know, like ‘Hey, George.’ ”While Ike has not turned out to be "the big one" for the Texas gulf coast, this natural disaster has vast environmental and public health repercussions that are only just beginning to be felt.
Ike recovery, and mitigation of future storms, ought to be a top topic for Texas candidates between now and Election Day. And it ought to be a top priority for the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature which begins in January.
Labels: hurricane ike, toxic soup
Hurricane Ike Relief
The boards of directors and staff of Texas League of Conservation Voters and Texas League of Conservation Voters Educational Fund encourage people to help provide relief to Texans affected by Hurricane Ike by volunteering time and giving money.
Please help Texans recover from the destruction of Hurricane Ike by giving to or volunteering with the relief organization of your choice, or consider helping one of the following groups:
- American Red Cross - Beaumont Chapter
- American Red Cross - Houston Region
- Direct Relief International
- Feeding America (Formerly Second Harvest)
- Houston Food Bank
- Rebuilding Together
- Souls4Soles
Our thoughts and prayers are with people who are impacted by this hurricane and its aftermath.
Labels: hurricane ike
